The Human Calculus: Political Futures vs. Human Life on the Colorado Ballot
By Donna Smith, Executive Director – Progressive Democrats of America
Not long after I moved back to Colorado in early 2013, I met a young, up and coming state legislator named Crisanta Duran. She was awarded the Health Care for All Colorado “Health Care Hero” award for her staunch support of a sound health care policy that would help working class families secure access to affordable health coverage and quality health care. We had high hopes for her advocacy on behalf of those with little or no voice in the process.
What a difference just a little over three years can make as I look now at where Rep. Duran, now the Democratic leader in the Colorado House, stands on health care. Her rise in political power combined with predictions for a very bright political future have dimmed her passion on behalf of those hundreds of thousands of Coloradans who remain uninsured and underinsured. Duran has shifted her allegiance from the people who elected her to the politicians who have tagged her for higher office in the future and more power as she awaits her ascension. There is nothing new or surprising about watching this devastatingly obvious transformation. So why do I let it trouble me so much right now, in this case? READ MORE